Sonic The Hedgehog 3 Reviews

Background Information
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 was really at the pinnacle of gaming when it was first released for the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive. It really had a lot to prove since its two predecessors were extremely successful but if anything, Sonic 3 is now considered (along with Sonic and Knuckles) one of the best Sonic games ever released.

Sonic 3 kept the true sense of what a Sonic game should be about and that is speed - the game has lots of it to offer with it's blisteringly fast action which require top notch reflexes, but it also allows you to run through at your own pace should you so wish. Tails was included as he was in Sonic 2 but now with the ability to use his fly ability and Knuckles (a red echidna who is unplayable in Sonic 3 alone except in the multiplayer races) was introduced to gamers for the first time.

When the sequel Sonic and Knuckles came out with added lock-on technology, it meant gamers could attach the two games for twice the gameplay and a lot of cool new features.


Gameplay
The gameplay is pretty much the same as the previous Sonic the Hedgehog games with the ability to run and jump, spindash and collect shields and rings. However different shields give Sonic different powers, for example the bubble allowed him to bounce and breathe underwater, the lightning shield protected from certain projectiles, electricity and also attracted nearby rings and the fire shield also protected from certain projectiles, fire and allowed Sonic to use a forwards mid-air dash attack.

The game has 7 stages in all each with 2 acts, each act takes place in a different environment ranging from jungles to carnivals, underwater cities to icy baron lands. Act 1 always has a sub-boss which isn't Dr Robotnik - Act 2 you always have to fight Dr Robotnik so they did away with the whole 1 boss per level thing. But the sub-bosses are never that hard.

The Bonus Stages include a 3D maze of red and blue orbs which Sonic must navigate collecting only the blue orbs in order to obtain a Chaos Emerald. The other being a smaller gumball machine which allowed Sonic to earn shields and extra lives.

Super Sonic is obtainable by collecting all 7 Chaos Emeralds. Unfortunately in Sonic 3 alone, Tails cannot gain any power from collecting all the Emeralds.


Multiplayer and Online Capabilities
This game has a Leaderboard as do most if not all of the Genesis/Mega Drive ports do, however due to an exploit on the last level which allows for the infinite respawn of badniks which meant gamers could boost their score up to stupidly high figures, the leaderboards will probably not reflect how good a gamer is.

The game has Offline Co-op similar to Sonic 2, with both Sonic and Tails both playable at one time during the main story, however the camera only focuses on Sonic meaning Tails is always left behind - but he is invincible to an extent.

It also has online and offline multiplayer races - allowing two players to race each other doing laps on a set of small tracks. Each track is unique from any of the story mode levels in terms of sprites and music. Players could play as Sonic, Tails or Knuckles in this mode but the latter do not have their fly/glide abilities.


Achievements
In Terms of Achievements, it has the easiest 200G out of all 3 of the Sonic games for XBLA so far, almost half of the achievements can be obtained on the first two level. The rest aren't too hard either and can be earnt in one playthrough, the hardest achievement probably being the collection of the 7 Chaos Emeralds. However as with all of the Genesis/Mega Drive games on XBLA, you can save and load anywhere in the game at any time, so saving the game frequently to avoid failure is a sure way to make it easier.


Overall
If you are a hardcore Sonic and Genesis/Mega Drive fan then no doubt you will already have your heart set on this game, if your not and your looking for an easy 200G, I recommend this game. It only costs 400MSP which is a bonus!

I think these Sonic games really give a hint of nostalgia to older gamers, too bad that todays younger generation don't see the fun and exciting gameplay these type of games had to offer back in the day.

Sonic is back and better than ever in this vintage Sega classic for the Xbox 360.

In Sonic the Hedgehog 3 gamers are reunited with the blue wonder for another journey to beat Dr. Robotnik with the help of his sickkick, Tails!

The game starts out on "Angel Island" where Sonic and Tails are bested my a new adversary Knuckles the Echidna. Upon taking all 7 of the Chaos Emeralds, it turns out that Knuckes is lured to working with Dr. Robotnik and where our epic journey begins.

Fans of the previous 2 games are reintroduced to the simple, yet addicting, game mechanics of the lovable hedgehog. New comers will also find that the game play is simple and easy for all ages. The "hop and bop" of enemies, spin dash of doom, and the collecting of those golden rings captivate and keep the experience new and fresh in many ways. And now even new abilities have been thrown into this title giving it even more variety. From bubble shield that allow breathing underwater, to lightning shields that attract rings from a distance; and a new mini-game for the return of the Chaos Emeralds.Also Sonic can take on his enemies with style with the return of Super Sonic!

As far as achievements go, this game is probably the easiest 200G out of the 4 classic vintage games. All of the achievemts can be earned in 1 playthrough. The only achievement can be tough is collecting all 7 Chaos Emeralds, however upon coming in contact with a giant gold ring (emerald mini-game) you can save before starting so if you fail you can reload your last save until you get it.

Overall, Sonic the Hedgehog is an amazing classic game with alot to offer. For fans of the game, it'll be a nostalgic walk down memory lane. And for newcomers it'll be a game that will be remembered for generations to come. Long Live Sonic!